Why not pronounce single characters the same way as they are pronounced in words? [duplicate]

IIRC the Greek names for the letters came from earlier semitic languages where the symbols were based on pictures, alpha=ox (you have to turn A upside down and squint to see an ox's head) etc

English didn't really need words for letters unless you were trying to teach children to read, so simple names that (almost) matched the sounds made sense.

ps. Reciting the names of letters in foreign languages classes went out of fashion in schools - because it would confuse the pronunciation of the sounds. Which is annoying when any trip/call to a foreign country involves pronouncing flight numbers, email addresses or part numbers.